The Mysterious Alchemy
by Pinkyj97
Summary: After Ed and Al just turn up at Eastern Command, a new criminal appears out of the blue with an interesting plan for the country. Utterly confused at the man's motives, Roy, Ed, Al, and many others must figure out how to capture the man without destroying Amestris in the process.
1. The Arrival

"Shit." Roy cursed out loud after he was thrown back from the attack. Riza fired a couple of shots, but it didn't help the situation.

"What do we do Coronel?" She asked low enough so the enemy couldn't hear.

"Damn it. I don't know. We've thrown everything at this bastard and still nothing." Roy studied the man again. Short black hair, tall, and an evil look in his eye. _"What do we do?" _Roy thought. He clenched his teeth in a pissed off manner. _"What _**_can_**_ we do? This guy is tough."_

A strange humming sound came from behind them; Roy looked back. "Looks like you need some help, Colonel." A sketchy voice said. A boy came from around the corner of the brick building; his arms folded on top each other and his golden eyes blazing with fury.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Roy yelled.

"Just heard there was a fight. Not like I could pass that up." The boy shrugged. Hollow footsteps came up behind the kid and a suit of armor appeared.

"Get out of here, FullMetal!"

"No way in hell!" He yelled back. Ed rapped his knuckles on the armor that was behind him. "Let's get 'em Al!"

"Wait! No!" Roy yelled, but it was too late. Edward was already rushing towards the enemy. He ran past Roy and Riza in a blur. "FullMetal, wait!" Roy yelled again.

"What's this?" The enemy said, a malicious grin spreading across his face. "The military send a little kid to fight the battle for them?"

"DON'T CALL ME LITTLE!" Ed shrieked. Edward clapped his hands together with a frown on his face. A round of blocks made of earth flew into the air and morphed into a spear. Ed grabbed the spear, and charged.


	2. Criminal

"His name is Doyle Miliget."

"Doyle?" Roy let out a laugh. The name itself seemed like a joke to him. Doyle didn't seem like a rogue alchemist name.

"Yes, Doyle." The soldier continued. "He's an alchemist and once worked for Kimblee when he went crazy during the Ishvallen War."

"I see." Roy said hesitantly. This whole situation seemed strange to him, but before he asked questions, Roy let the soldier read the rest of the report.

"His alchemy is a special one. A type never heard of." The soldier briefed the Colonel further. "He has the power to control bodies - or objects if you want to put it that way."

"Controls bodies?" Roy was shocked. "What kind of alchemy is this? I've never heard of it."

"Like I said," The Soldier repeated himself, "it's an alchemy never heard of."

* * *

Despite the warnings, the FullMetal Alchemist continued to rush straight toward the enemy.

"Edward! Stop and listen!" Riza yelled. Al had enough sense to listen; he stopped right before he passed Roy and Riza. Ed kept going though. Before he could hit, the man squinted. Only a second later did Edward fall limp. He hit the pavement hard, dazing him before all went black. Many names came at once.

"Brother!"

"Edward!"

"FullMetal!"

* * *

Ed slowly opened his eyes; the thin layer of crust that was keeping his eyes sealed has now disappeared as they opened. "Where am I?" He questioned himself as he looked around. There was barely anything in the room. A white room filled with with cloth; that's how he saw it. All you really needed in a room was a bed and at least a nightstand to hold your essentials. Curious Ed looked over to see if there was a table beside the bed. Of course there was. Wait, there was something on top the table as well. Upon straining his neck to see the stand, Ed spotted some food on a tray. His mouth watered at the sight, but when he examining the contents, he saw that the tray held-! Ed squinted at the food tray. "So, we meet again you little bastard. I'm not drinkin' you." He squinted further. "I hate milk."

Pushing the nasty concoction to the back of his mind, Edward looked in the opposite direction out the window. "It's day. I wonder how long I was out."

A knock came at the door. "Uh-? Brother? Are you awake?" A high voice asked.

"Al?" Ed responded. "Yeah, I'm awake. You can come in." The door slid open with a creek and Edward's younger brother, Alphonse, stepped through the threshold "Brother." He let out.

"You okay Alphonse?" Ed cocked his head slightly. "You don't seem well."

Al waved his hands about. "Oh! No! I'm happy that you're awake brother!"

"That isn't what I meant." Ed scrunched up his face.

"Oh. Well-. I know. I'm just saying that I'm happy you're awake. I'm fine." Ed just stared at his little brother, knowing he was hiding something. "Well" Al hesitated at first, but soon cracked under the pressure. "I thought you were done for..."


	3. An Unexpected Visit

"What do you mean?"

"I mean - that Doyle guy - I thought he killed you, Brother." Al shifted uncomfortably beyond the foot of the bed.

Ed leaned forward. "What? Why do you say that? I'm fine. See?" To prove his word, Edward spread out his arms, showing his exposed beaten chest. He looked down at himself and coughed in a silent defeat.

"Well – um – I-I-."

"Spit it out already Alphonse!" Ed pressed on.

"You were asleep for two weeks, Brother!" Al let out. Ed froze. He didn't speak nor move; he just stared into space. Al continued talking. "Even though the equipment here said your heart was still beating, I thought you'd never wake up. Doctors said so, too. They would've cut you off and pronounce you dead, but you're alive because Colonel Mustang made sure you would. He said you'll wake up." Al's hands bunched up into fists. "Those doctors-."

"Alphonse." Ed quickly said, cutting off his brother's words.

"Huh?"

Not wanting to talk about his own health, Edward quickly changed the topic with another pressing matter. "How did you guys beat Doyle?"

Al looked to the floor, feeling a bit ashamed and embarrassed "We didn't. He got away when we were distracted with you."

Ed raised his metal hand up to the ceiling and paid attention to the detail and craftsmanship his mechanic and childhood friend, Winry, put into it. "So it's my fault."

"Don't worry about it Ed, Colonel Mustang said he'll catch him. Don't worry."

* * *

"What am I supposed to do?" Roy said in an angered tone. "Damn it!" He stood up and paced in front of the windows in his office. Riza stood by his desk, clipboard in hand. "It's been two weeks and I still can't catch him. FullMetal hasn't woken up yet and there's a killer on the streets of Amestris. Why did the Fuehrer choose me?"

"Sir?" Riza spoke up.

"What is it?" Roy asked as he stared out the window that was looking down on the Central Command Gardens.

"The door, Sir." She simply said. Roy turned around and standing at the door, was King Bradley himself.

He stood there with a murderous look on his face; but the words and tone of his voice said something else. "Colonel Mustang, how are you doing this day?"

Roy snapped to attention and saluted the Fuehrer. He clicked his heels together and responded. "I'm quite fine, Sir. How are you?"

"Why, I'm quite fine on this day as well." Bradley smiled and held out his hand to ease the two soldiers that were not expecting His Excellency.

"To what do I owe this visit, Sir?"


	4. The Automail Mechanic!

Winry stretched and gave out a huge yawn when she got off the train. "Man, what a long ride." She complained. "How do Ed and Al do it all the time?" The young mechanic spun around to face the crowd that was at the train station. _"I wonder if Ed suspects me." _She thought back to the phone call she gave him about a month ago.

_"Now, Ed I'm going to be right here in Resembool. If you need a tune-up, just call."_

_"Mm-hah." He waved it off on the phone like it was nothing of importance._

_"Are you even listening?" Winry asked._

_"Yeah, yeah." Ed said in the same tone._

_"Edward!"_

_"Whaatt?" The boy groaned._

_"One of these days, I'm going to drop by Central just to pick on you!" Winry yelled._

_"Yeah, yeah." He went back to the same tone again._

After that, she just slammed the phone down in frustration. She honestly couldn't tell even herself what she saw in him. "Oh well. We'll just have to see."

* * *

"So the Colonel is taking care of Doyle?"

"That's right." Al answered.

"And I'm supposed to stay here and heal?"

"Yes."

Ed gave a blankly stared at Al, speaking suddenly only a second after. "I'm out."

Al was lost for a moment, but quickly regained his senses. "Wait, Brother! You need to heal!" Al picked Ed up –who wasn't resting on the bed, but was suddenly standing by the door - and put him back in the bed. Ed was yelling the whole time; Al just laughed.

"I know you don't want to hear this Brother, but you're very light."

"What'd you say?!"

"I'm sorry brother. It's the truth."

"DON'T CALL ME PIPSQUEAK!"

"But I never did such a thing-."

"You didn't have to! I know you meant-!"

Al laughed. "Okay. Think what you think is necessary brother." Al never liked fighting with his brother, but when they argued like this, he sometimes enjoyed it.

"Damn right I will." Ed pouted, crossing his arms as he sat crisscross on the bed. There was silence for a moment. "Hey! Wait a minute! Alphonse-!"

The door flew open, cutting off Ed's rant. Standing in the threshold was the blonde mechanic, Winry, panting like crazy.

"Oh. Hey, Winry." Ed said, nonchalantly.

"Hey Winry?" She was on the verge of crying. "I came by to see you guys and I heard from someone that you've been in the hospital for two weeks Ed!" She came closer and looked at his right arm. "But I don't see any problems with your automail." Ed's jaw fell to the floor, a steady flow of blood splaying out of his nose.

"All jokes aside Winry." Al chuckled slightly.

"Right," Winry said. "I'm just here to say hi. Nothing of-." Winry froze.

"Winry?" Ed asked. "What's the matter-?"

"Ed..." She said as she stared toward the floor.

"Yeah? What is it?"

She looked at Ed, eyes squinting in an accusing manner as her finger pointed to his food tray. "You didn't drink your milk."

Ed turned his head away. "Yeah? And I didn't eat my rice. What of it?"

Winry snapped now. "Rice isn't that important! Milk is needed more than rice is!"

"Who says I even want the milk?!"

"If you don't drink it, you're going to be short forever!"

"WHAT'D YOU SAY?!"

"You heard me!"

"DON'T CALL ME A SHRIMP! ILL TURN YOU ALL INTO FISH!"

Al laughed. "Sure you will Ed."


	5. New Trainees

"At ease Colonel, I'm just here to say hi." Bradley said.

Roy was confused. The Fuehrer never did this. "Here, to say, hi?" Roy asked slowly.

"Yes, Colonel." Bradley now walked into the room. There were white walls along with a white floor that was mostly covered by a blue rug with the country symbol printed on it. The room looked like a normal office; the only difference was that it was a much bigger room than most were. Since Roy is a Colonel, he got a nice sized room. The phone rang throughout the room. Riza took the liberty of answering it.

"First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye speaking." She paused. "Yes it is." While Riza was handling the phone, Bradley continued the topic he came here to discuss.

"You have yet to capture Doyle, correct?"

"Correct, Sir." Roy answered in his most professional voice he could use.

"This man has been walking the streets and you have yet to capture him?"

"Sorry Sir. He has a lot of talent."

"He certainly does. Well, if he didn't, then he wouldn't be able to hide from the military as long as he has." Bradley moved around the room and studied the hanging pictures placed on the walls; Roy just eyed him. "Do you know exactly why I'm here?"

"No, Sir."

The King stepped over towards Mustang. "You better catch this man, Colonel, because a man in your position should've caught him already."

"Wha-what are you suggesting, Sir?"

"I'm suggesting you catch this man, _Colonel_." He stressed the word Colonel. "I know it seems unfair for me to be pressuring just you with this large task, but just think of it as motivation for the future." Bradley moved back and gave a small smirk to Roy. "That is all."

"Uh-uh! Yes sir!" Roy chanted and brought his hand to his forehead.

When Bradley left the room, Riza spoke up. "Sir?"

"What?" Roy sort of yelled out.

Riza used that cold gaze she always had. "It's Doiel."

* * *

_Move, move, move, move! _

"Let's go! Move it!" A man yelled.

"Crap." Ryuu mumbled to himself. "I'm falling behind again." He quickened his pace so that he was now at least a few feet from the other soldiers. "If I can't keep up, I'll be kicked out of the army."

One of the soldiers that was jogging in front of Ryuu slowed down and jogged next to him. "Hurry up Ryuu. You're falling behind."

Ryuu gave the man an expressionless look. "Great advice Haru."

"Come on man, I don't want you to be kicked out."

Ryuu let out a huge sigh. "Remind me why I joined the military in the first place."

"Remember your promise to Mira?" Haru said with a creepy grin that stretched from ear to ear. "You said you'll join the army to protect her."

Ryuu's face flushed. "Sh-shut up!"

A voice from ahead boomed to the back of the line. "Keep up soldiers! If you fall behind, there will be consequences!"

"Yes sir!" Haru and Ryuu both yelled back.

* * *

Ryuu flopped down onto his spring bed, keeping his feet on the dirt floor. "What a day." He closed his eyes. His breath was taken away when a heavy object fell onto his chest. His eyes snapped open and widened from the shock. "Shit!" He screeched. He looked around for the cause and saw Haru towering over him.

"Wake up." Haru said.

"Go to hell." Ryuu grunted and closed his eyes again, not even bothering to remove the book that was dropped onto his chest. But maybe it would've been better if he had. Another object fell ontop of the book and added to the weight. Ryuu opened his eyes again, clearly pissed off when he looked at Haru.

"What? I said wake up."

"And this is how you wake someone up? By dumping two dictionaries onto them? Where the hell did you even get these?!" Ryuu yelled as he tossed the books aside.

Haru opened his mouth to answer but Ryuu held up his hand to stop him. "Nevermind, I don't care."

Haru shrugged.

Ryuu sat up and ran his hand through his spiked, brown hair. He looked up at Haru. "I can't believe the military let you keep your weird hair color."

Haru laughed "It's blue, idiot. It's not that weird."

"Right. What planet do you live on?"

Haru stifled a chuckle. He either didn't hear Ryuu's question or he just didn't care.

Ryuu hesitated. "Haru?" His face now covered in sorrow.

"Yeah?"

"What if-. What if we die?"

The happy expression that Haru was wearing earlier has now disappeared and turned into a sad one. "We won't. We're tough." His smile came back. "Besides! You got someone waiting for you back home!"

"Right." Ryuu said again, ending the conversation, but he can still feel the heaviness of the question weighing on his mind.

"Lights out men." The Sergeant announced in a robotic tone. "Training camp is over now and you guys finally get to do something around here. See you all at O'five hundred."

"Sir yes sir!" The whole room flared.

"Good then! Lights out!" As if on cue, the lights overhead flickered out.


	6. Don't Cry Over Split Milk

Doyle ran as fast he could. Words flew through his mind. _"Damn it. Shit. Crap. Fu-"_

"There he is!" A middle aged soldier yelled. Doyle picked up the pace. Left. Left. Right. Left. No, that's a dead end. Right instead. The alley ways in this town were crazy. Doyle felt like a mouse in a scientist maze, trying to find the cheese.

"Stop!"

"You're surrounded."

Doyle froze. He was too deep in thought, he got caught again.

"Put your hands in the air and come quietly!"

Doyle raised his hands above his head. The soldiers stepped closer.

_"Perfect."_ He thought. Doyle shut his eyes and concentrated hard. Thought of the war. Thought of killing. The dead. The enemies. He didn't really want to do any of this, but it's the military's fault. If they just let him pass through the city, none of this would be happening. After hearing the satisfying thud of multiple bodies hitting the ground, Doyle opened his eyes and continued along the alley way; stepping over the bodies of fallen soldiers in the process.

* * *

"Kaaaaaaa!" Winry shirked "Edward!"

"What is it now, Winry?" Ed mumbled as he nibbled on some bread.

"What did you do?" She fell to the floor on all four. Ed pushed himself forward from his resting place on the bed to look at Winry. Only did he stop caring when he saw what she was wining about. "Look, Winry, I told you this, like, twenty times already. I'm _NOT_ drinking it."

Winry picked up the fallen glass off the floor that was swimming in the spilt milk. "You didn't have to knock it over, though."

"Who said I did it on purpose?" Ed shrugged.

Winry grunted. "How childish." She looked around the room. "Hey, where's Al?"

Ed looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, Al? He said he was going to walk around. You know, staying in here must be boring for him."

"Oh." Winry whispered.

"Anyway," Ed said aloud. "When are you going back to Resembool?"

"Are you _trying _to get rid of me, Ed?!" Winry yelled.

"No, no, not at all." Ed said in a sarcastic tone, going back to his half eaten biscuit.

* * *

"Hey, Ryuu!" Haru yelled from across the break room -turning a couple of heads. "Look what came in the mail for you!" He said in a singing tone. Ryuu hid his face when he noticed a couple of guys laughing. Haru rushed over and slammed the envelope down onto the table and shouted out. "Look, Ryuu! Your girlfriend sent you a letter! And from the looks of it, it's a long one!"

"Haru!" Ryuu hissed. "Shut up! You're too loud!"

"Oh nonsense!" He continued despite Ryuu's harsh tone. "I bet everyone's interested-!" Before Haru could finish, Ryuu pulled him to the floor and covered his mouth with one hand and read the note with the other.

It read, _"Dear Ryuu, I'm so happy to hear that you passed your training to become a soldier! Congratulations! I hope that you'll become as high rank as a general! I just want you to know that I love you, and I always will. But—there's one thing I have to say. It isn't that easy to talk about, but….oh Ryuu, I'm sorry-." _

_"Spit it out already." _Ryuu thought then continued reading.

_"This is hard to say, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I think we should see other people."_

"What?" Ryuu said aloud, not noticing he did.

_"I'm sorry." _The note read. _"I know this is sudden. I love the number four, don't you? I'm happy you are in the military. There're troubled people out there. Please be careful there. Help the world. _

_From, Me."_

"The number four?" Ryuu said to himself. Something about that didn't quite sit right with him. He pulled out a pen and ripped the cap off with his teeth. "The number four, huh?" He mumbled through the cap. "What's the purpose?" He moved the pen to the statement about the number four, and then slid the pen to the first word in the next sentence. _"I'm."_ He thought. He moved three words over and circled the forth. _"In." _Then he read the next. _"Troubled. Please. Help. Me." _Ryuu's eyes widened. Even though he might be wrong about the decoding part, it said it clear as day –right in front of him. _"I'm in trouble, please help me."_

"Mira isn't the smartest girl out there, but she's not stupid enough to be writing random stuff on a break up letter." He mumbled to himself.

"Mffph! Mffph!" A noised emerged through his right hand that was covering Haru's mouth.

"I'll only let go if you promise not to yell again." Haru gathered all the spit he could muster up in his mouth and landed it all on Ryuu's bare hand. "Gahhh!" Ryuu shook his hand furiously, trying to get the spit off.

* * *

"You didn't have to do that." Ryuu complained as they walked down the hall towards the lavatories.

Haru shrugged. "You didn't let go, so I let my salvia loose on your hand. So," He paused for a moment. "She's breaking up with you?" Haru said quieter than before while they now stood in the men's bathroom.

"Well, I'm not sure." Ryuu replied as he soaked his hand in soapy water. "She said something about the number four. And then I decided to circle the fourth word in the last sentences and came up with this." Ryuu handed the note to Haru and he read it aloud.

"I'm in trouble, please help me?" Ryuu nodded. "Look, Ryuu, it's probably a coincidence that these words came up. If you're really worried, then just tell a higher up. Like a Colonel or something."

"No." Ryuu interjected. "She's my girlfriend; I need to take care of her."

"It doesn't look like you're a couple anymore."

"Look, Haru-!" Ryuu caught himself. He now talked in a calmer tone. "Look, Haru, maybe someone made her write this, and she just wrote the ending by herself? If she's in trouble, I need to save her."

Haru watched Ryuu for any signs of fault, but after seeing none, Haru spoke these few simple words. "Need help?"


	7. Visiting an Old Friend and Finding a New

Blue skies as far as the eye allowed it, the fields greener than usual, birds chirping away in delight. Not the usual scene of a grave site. With a heavy heart, the famous Flame Alchemist stood in front of his best friend's gravestone. He thought that it was time to visit him again. It's been a while, and he promised Gracia that he would appear from time to time; he also promised himself that he would. Roy squatted down, hovering just above the soft earth. He stared long and hard at the name etched in the stone. "I still haven't forgiven you…" He joked, a hint of sadness creeping into the statement. "You were supposed to help me rise to the top, you know?" Roy let out a sigh of defeat. "I guess I'm sounding a little selfish, huh? Look at me…I can't even acknowledge what's around me."

Roy looked toward the ground. He was depressed, but that couldn't stop him. There are still people with him that care about him; he couldn't distance himself from them. He wanted to cry, he really did. Roy gave a soft chuckle. How uncanny. The Flame Alchemist, a dog of the military, crying over the death of a friend that happened years earlier. He shouldn't be this sad. Or maybe he should. Maes Hughes was a dear friend. Although he annoyed Roy to no ends, he did enjoy his company.

Roy moved his feet out from under him, taking a seat on the dry soil. "I need someone to talk to, Maes." He shook his head. What was he doing, talking to a slab of rock? He must've seemed crazy as he continued. "There's a dangerous man on the streets of Amestris and the Fuhrer expects_ me_ to stop him." There was a moment of silence. "Why me, though? I'm only a Colonel."

"Just shut up and take the praise that will follow." He could imagine Lieutenant Hughes saying that.

Roy ducked his head and chuckled softly. "You're right, Hughes." The Colonel stood up, taking in a deep breath as he looked back down at the grave. "You're right…" He looked up to the sky, half imagining Maes to be looking down at him from wherever he was now. Roy took in a deep breath. "How long…were you there?" He asked, eyes looking at the blonde haired woman in the area behind him.

"I just arrived, Sir." Riza said. Of course, she was lying. She saw the whole thing. She's the one who drove him to the graveyard in the first place. But she knew what the Colonel wanted to hear; and she was one of the few people who could grant it to him.

"Right," Roy confirmed as he passed his Lieutenant to head back to the car. "Let's go."

"Of course, Sir." Riza eyed him as he passed. She worried about him.

As they both entered the car – Riza in the driver's seat and Roy in the back – the alchemist spoke up. "Any news on Doyle?"

Riza shook her head and started the engine. "Not yet. There have been reports about him being sighted, but was never confirmed when the officials went to check the area." She pulled the car out of the parking lot and onto the street. "Sir, I don't think he truly wanted to fight in the first place."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well," Hawkeye started as she drove a steady pace down the barren road. "If he really wanted to attack Amestris, then why wait for the soldiers to attack first?"

"Hmm.." Roy hesitated. "That's a point. If he didn't have a motive before, he certainly does now."

Riza nodded her agreement.

As they pulled up to Central Command, Roy spotted two people standing out front. One wore a soldiers uniform while the other wore blue pants and a simple, white shirt. While Riza parked the car, Roy took the chance to talk to the men. "Excuse me," He started, standing clear in front of the one soldier. "May I ask what you're doing out here?"  
"Oh," The soldier snapped to attention and saluted. "Colonel Mustang, Sir! In accordance with the Fuhrer, you have been assigned to look after a trainee."

"A…what..?"


End file.
